title: Ghrelin inhibits 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis in colonic cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate if ghrelin inhibits apoptosis in colonic cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell viability in HT-29 cells was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Apoptosis was measured using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining and flow cytometry. The protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 activation was examined using Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ghrelin dose dependently decreased the growth inhibition of HT-29 cells induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Cells treated with 5-FU displayed chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation, which are typical changes of apoptosis. However, co-treatment with ghrelin reduced these changes. Flow cytometry after staining with Annexin V and propidium iodide showed that ghrelin decreased the apoptotic rate of HT-29 cells induced by 5-FU. Caspase-3 activation was significantly lower in the co-treated group than in the group treated with 5-FU alone. In addition, ghrelin reversed the 5-FU-induced Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ghrelin inhibits 5-FU-induced apoptosis in colon cancer cells through the regulation of the Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Jinshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Tong
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Xi-Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zha
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D054439:Ghrelin; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D053148:Caspase 3; D005472:Fluorouracil